Lake Catholic Still Undefeated After Last-Second Heroics Against Cardinal Mooney

 football coach Mike Bell and the rest of the Cougars can put away the respirators now.

John Stepec scored on a 1-yard touchdown run with 19 seconds remaining as the Cougars nearly blew a two-touchdown lead with just over four minutes remaining in the fourth quarter to win 27-22 over Cardinal Mooney and remain undefeated on the season Friday night in Youngstown.

After Lou Vettel’s 3-yard run put Lake Catholic up, 21-7, with 4:11 left in the fourth quarter, the Cardinals got a safety and quarterback P.J. Quinn had two touchdown passes of 38 and 10 yards to give Cardinal Mooney the lead, 22-21.

After their last score, the Cardinals botched two consecutive kickoffs sending them out of bounds and the Cougars forced them to re-kick each time.

On the third attempt, Aaron Phillips returned it 59 yards to the Cardinals’ 1, where Stepec punched it in for the game-winner on the next play and his third 1-yard rushing touchdown of the evening.

Lake Catholic improved to 4-0, while Cardinal Mooney fell to 2-2.

“It was a pretty crazy four minutes,” Bell said of the Cardinals’ fourth-quarter rally.

The Cardinals’ go-ahead touchdown was set up by a Cardinal Mooney defender who ripped the ball from Cougars quarterback Mark Baniewicz with less than two minutes remaining as Lake Catholic attempted to run out the clock.

Coach Bell credited the Cardinals with great defense as he tried to hold his nerve, and that of his team, under tremendous pressure.

“It was frustrating. Something I try to do is remain calm and relaxed so our players will remain calm and focused. If anything, if they see a coach get nutty and crazy, in situations like that, it’s going to be harder for them to focus. Things were churning and turning inside. I can tell you that,” Bell said.

Baniewicz finished with 74 yards on 24 carries to lead all Cougars rushers as team finished with 145 yards on 44 carries. Roosevelt Griffin had 75 yards on 19 carries to lead all Cardinals rushers.

Although Quinn produced those two late touchdown passes, they were tempered by three interceptions. He finished 15-of-23 on passing attempts for 184 yards and had a 1-yard TD run. Baniewicz went 6-of-10 for 68 yards and no touchdowns.

“You’ve got to think games like these and the amount of adversity in tight games these guys have seen, that it’s got to be building character,” Bell said.

The Cougars are home against Walsh Jesuit next Saturday for a 7 p.m. start.

Lake Catholic         0 14 0 13 27

Cardinal Mooney    7  0  0 15 22

1st Quarter

Cardinal Mooney - Quinn 1 run (Durina kick)

2nd Quarter

Lake Catholic - Stepec 1 run (Gormley kick)

Lake Catholic - Stepec 1 run (Gormley kick)

4th Quarter

Lake Catholic - Vettel 3 run (Gormley kick)

Cardinal Mooney - McWilson 38 pass from Quinn (kick failed)

Cardinal Mooney - Safety

Cardinal Mooney - Jones 10 pass from Quinn (Durina kick)

Lake Catholic - Stepec 1 run (kick failed)